3 reasons Hollywood stopped making stoner comedies

The lack of cult stoner comedy classics like Superbad and The Hangover has become rarities in recent years. The lack of this type of comedy is surprising and disappointing for many moviegoers, especially considering that this genre was a force 10 years ago.

The Hangover II grossed $ 581 million in ticket sales worldwide on a budget of just $ 80 million. Unfortunately, the writing for stoner comedies has been on the wall for a while. Here are just a few reasons Hollywood left stoner comedies by the wayside.

Image by Amit Kumar from Pixabay

Superhero films have replaced them

Since the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) launched Phase One in 2008 with Iron Man, it has been no secret that superhero films would become the next big blockbuster film genre. With a budget of only $ 141 million, Iron Man is raised more than $ 585 million global. The audience’s appetite for new stories and characters on screen doesn’t seem to wane anytime soon. In 2021 alone, the MCU released three different films. To make matters worse for comedy fans, many of the films have enough humor to fill the void for most casual moviegoers.

Authors have not adapted to politically charged times

Another reason stoner comedies aren’t as popular as they used to be is because the times are so different from the highlights of the genre. Films from the last few decades have the advantage that they were made in a calmer social climate.

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Simply put, comedy writing has gotten tougher and writers have been unable to adapt their writing style to the times while still making audiences laugh as they used to. That has resulted in more emphasis on other genres like action, horror and romance. As these genres flourish, stoner comedy fans must wonder how long they will have to wait for the next cult classic.

Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay

It’s harder for writers to come up with ideas at large studios

As big studios have shifted their focus and investment to other genres, it’s harder for writers trying to create them to get the traction needed to get their films into production. That bans them to streaming platforms like Hulu and Netflix. While it’s great that there is an alternative, the problem with limiting it to streaming is that most people will likely scroll right past these movies, which keeps the narrative going that people just aren’t that funny anymore Films are interested. That keeps fans wondering how long it will be before the big studios turn their attention back to the stoner comedies that featured popular figures such as Seth Rogan and Jonah Hill among moviegoers.

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As the public appetite for stoner comedies grows, moviegoers can best remember the classics that are available on streaming. Given the talented actors in Hollywood who would excel in stoner comedy roles, fans should keep hoping that the big studios will invest resources in the genre again at some point.